Addiction
by Midnight Eclipse
Summary: The first rain after the invasion frightens Casey and causes an unexpected addiction of Zeke's to resurface. Slash... be warned.


Start Transmission

Midnight: I wrote this story a while back on a major Faculty kick. What better topic than addiction.  
Lin: Faculty doesn't belong to her, but the plotline does.  
Raine: All reviews are welcome, but be warned that this fic contains slashy goodness!  
Midnight: On with the fic!

Casey stood there, like he always did after his morning beating, taking pictures of the world. He seemed to escape when he used that old camera, always the one to see farther. The school bell rang and Zeke was the only one outside, he put out the cigarette and flicked it into the grass before making his way inside. The strut in his step was familiar to any as that of the school druggie. Every now and then he'd run into Casey and often protect him from the jocks. They did talk once though. Casey had taken his picture, not knowing how Zeke was always watching, always attentive to Casey's actions. The boy was too passive. "How can you stand yourself Casey?" This shocked the boy, and he backed into a wall, fearful. Zeke stood and approached slowly, that strut visible and Casey flinched as a hand reached toward his face. "I'm not going to hurt you." Casey straightened some but still appeared afraid. "Honestly Casey, don't you ever see color? Do you ever see the world through anything but the camera lens?" Casey looked down, embarrassed now and Zeke berated himself. "One of these days, I will show you what I mean." They didn't talk much after that until the invasion. Zeke remembered doing his best to protect the younger boy, even after it was over. He even went as far as to tell Casey that if he ever needed to be some where safe, the back door would always be open. He never believed Casey would use the invitation. Then Came the night, two weeks after the invasion, the first rain. Zeke grabbed his gun when he heard his door slam shut, but the object was thrown to the table as a wet and shaking Casey fell into his arms. The smaller boy grasped at Zeke's sleeve, refusing to let go and was carried into the living room where Zeke took away the wet clothes and brought a warm blanket to wrap the shivering Casey in.

Only after being certain that Casey would live did Zeke calm down. He wondered why Casey had been out in the rain, or why he was even near this neighborhood, let alone his house. Zeke carefully moved a wet lock of hair from Casey's cheek, leaving his hand there longer than he should have. A brief kiss was placed on Casey's forehead before standing out on the porch to smoke. Three cigarettes later Zeke came in to find Casey sitting up with the blanket around his shoulders. He let himself fall beside Casey on the couch and sighed. "So, what are you doing out here Case, and in the rain too?" Casey leaned his head back and closed his eyes. "My parents are overseas Zeke, and I just couldn't stand to be alone when I thought of the rain." Casey hung his head and Zeke was barely close enough to hear the next words. "I…I'm scared Zeke." Casey stiffened as Zeke pulled him down to have the younger boy leaning back with his head on Zeke's chest. Zeke's arms rested around Casey's shoulders, loose but protective. "Relax Casey, I'm not going to hurt you." It was like the first time they talked, he was protecting Casey. Casey did relax and even went as far as to put a shaky hand over Zeke's. They ended up sleeping like that, all through the night. Zeke would have slept until midday if he hadn't realized that Casey was gone. Zeke fell off the couch with a loud thud. He got up quickly and would have been running around the house screaming if he hadn't noticed a small, frail creature sitting on his back porch quietly smoking a cigarette. His heart jumped in relief. Casey was zoned out so it was easy to sneak behind him, even put an arm on his shoulder before Casey realized he was there. It must have been 5:30 seeing as the sun had just risen above the horizon, giving a rosy tint to the dew. Casey looked up as him, shocked, maybe even scared until he realized it was Zeke. Zeke sat beside him, still quiet, and allowed Casey to lean on his shoulder, the cigarette hanging limply from his lips. Zeke took the half-smoked cigarette, placing it between his own lips. "What are you doing smoking Casey, don't you know these things'll kill you?" Casey was quiet, almost mouse-like when he spoke. "Then why don't you stop?" This stopped Zeke in his tracks, Casey was pleading with him. Why did he smoke anyways, the only answer was his addiction. He was addicted to so much; Fear, hope, smoking, but the worst was Casey. He was addicted to his presence, his touch, even if it meant nothing to the younger boy. He sighed looking to the scene before him. "Beautiful huh." Casey turned his head giving Zeke a confused look. "It's picturesque, this sunrise." Casey moved his head back down. "Why don't you take pictures anymore Casey?" He set the cigarette in an ashtray. "I just don't I guess. Besides, weren't you the one to tell me to stop seeing through the camera lens?"

No matter how much Zeke wanted to put the blame somewhere else, Casey was right, and he was wondering if it were him who destroyed that part. "You used to be addicted Casey, and you were good at it." Casey pushed away, standing to get away, but Zeke grabbed his wrist and was standing beside him. "Addictions don't just disappear Casey, you're wrong if you ignore it. They come back Case, trust me I know!" He grabbed Casey's shoulders, forcing their eyes to meet. Casey whimpered, "Smoking'll kill you as easily as me. I can't lose you Zeke, you understand me better than anyone." Zeke pulled Casey closer to him in a stiff hug, burying his head in Casey's shoulder. "I promise Casey, I promise to stop smoking if you let me indulge in my other addiction." Casey looked down into the brown mass of hair. "What other addiction…" Zeke kissed Casey's neck, "You Casey." He felt a shiver run through the small boy and pushed himself away, felling rejected. Zeke's head was hung low as he faced away from Casey. "You can go home Casey. It's stopped raining…"

"You have to promise Zeke, you have to quit. Besides, I'd rather stay with someone until my parents come back." Zeke turned to look at Casey, a smile plastered on his face. "You know Casey, there aren't any extra beds, and the couch gets uncomfortable." Casey picked up the cigarette sitting on the porch. "I guess we'll just have to share your bed, huh Zeke?" A small kiss was planted on the other's neck. "I guess so." Zeke took the Cigarette from Casey and snubbed it on the wall as the two went inside. If one were to walk into Zeke's room that night, they would see Zeke playing the part of pillow for Casey, arms carefully wrapped around the younger boy. Come morning Casey would return home, gather his clothes and the old camera, and leave a single note to his parents.

Mom and Dad,

I've decided to move in with a friend of mine, seeing as you're never home lately. I'll visit when you come home, but I needed the company.  
Sorry, Casey

A phone number was scrawled on the back of the note and that's all that he left. His parents never called and Casey didn't visit, but he and Zeke would lie together in the morning hours, just to remember when they gained their worst addiction, love for each other.

Lin and Raine: Yet another one-shot officially finished, congrats!  
Midnight: Wow… it's almost midnight… The computer screen is seriously looking kinda' gray. I'm going to go to sleep before I feint on the keyboard.

Midnight Eclipse  
Terminate Transmission


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